Parachute



Patented Oct. '4,

1 UNITED STA HERBERT 'E.

ras PATENT OFFICE.

- App1ication filed 'January 11, 1926. Serial No. 80,621.

My invention relates to improved means for, and method of,

parachutes, particularl folded in a small pac spreading or launching that type which is and lashed to-the 5 avia tors back, and is released therefrom by ilot-chute, all being and in every day use,

a rip-cord pulled by ed to liberate the the aviator, and adaptmeans by which it is fastened. Said. pack, or receptacle for carrying the parachute,

detail herein.

It may also be use carried or held in .any 15 tached to, or held by,

or likewise a. pilot-ch this inventlon is to supply positively acting device,

The object of a simple, light,

the aviator-harness, an

well known elements are not described m d to expand a parachute other manner, or at-. any suitable means; ute.

der control of the aviator, to open the bottom of a parachute to the action of the atmosphere after leaving the aircraft, and

which will function these objects by and like numerals several views.

Referring of this application, of a parachute-skirt cut therein.

Figure 2, 1s a side new or detail view of successive spreading-pockets Figure 3, is a to the drawings automatically. I attain the particular form, size,

and disposition ofthe several parts thereof,

designate like parts in the forming a part I re 1, is a side elevation of a portion havmg an air-passage of one of the flaps.

stages in the construction of-one of thepocket distendirig-wiresv Figure 4, is a side elevation of one of the spreading=pockets with a distending-member sewed in place in the bottom of same.

Figure 5, is a detail showing the location of a check-flap overv an air-passagein a skirt,

and is thereoff Figure '6,'is a vd showing one 0 shown by dotted lines o etail, era

the spreading-pockets attached to a portion of a parachute-skirt, and a flap-positioning cord leading to one of the suspensory guys, from the bottom of a spreading-pocket.

Figure 7, is

with a plurality o a bottom view of a parachute f spreading-pockets atsaid flaps or pockets titude, by

n the inside de eleva-tion,nspgeading-devices, such {Above each tached. thereto, and the suspensory guys broken away.

Figure 8, is a detail showing an alternatlve way of forming the spreading-pockets in one plece with the skirt, by peculiarly shapmg the edges of the skirt-sectors; a portion of said sectors only, shown.

Figure 9, shows the aforesaid sectors overlappled and joined together.

carrying my invention into practice'I In launching the parathute the ordinary way, i. e. whenthe same is carried in a case or pack linked to the aviators back, the pilotchute first pulls out the skirt, or cover, to its full length, and next, the guys attached to the aviator harness.

When the aviator first takes the air, said parachute-skirt tends to keep in a closed at- -reason of the pull of the pilotchute on the top. end, and aviator on the bottom thereof; said pull not letting it open freelv. Ofttimes, a fall of several hundred feet is obtained before the skirt separates enouglh 1'. e er to let in the air; to spread the same. IIY meantime, at low altitude, the aviator may reach the ground before it opens andbe in-- jured. V By the use of automatically-acting delay'is avoided,

Th'efiifistructionathereof is as follows, viz:

e bottom of a parachute s rt 1, or optionally at other distance apart, I cut an opening 2, in a skirt 1, said opemng running fparallel with the bottom edge there; of, and om each end of said opemng I exis attached to t oint whefempportingly' tend a cut 2' at right angles thereto and to one side thereof, leaving a flap 2" below said cut, see Figure 1; said cuts ending at 3, a short distance above the bottom of skirt 1.

" These apertures are for passage of the filling air-current, into the interior ofthe skirt.

I next form, of the skirt material for H) each cut 2, a cover or pocket-flap 5, of sufficient width to extend beyond each-end of cut 2 and fasten to the skirt, and-of such length as to extend from above said out, to the bottom of the skirt. l5 .Said flaps I make somewhat narrower at the top, than at the bottom, see Figure 2, so that, when the same are fastened on the outside of the skirt, the bottoms thereof will have a flare, and stand away from the skirt and form a pocket or air-scoop to catch the air and move the flap outwardly.

The bottom edge of each flap, is rounded to allow for said flare, and is provided with notches 6, to allow of sufficient material to lap over a bent or' ofi'set wire distending member 7 which is sewed therein, to give said flap-bottom an approximately semicircular shape.

Members 7 may be made from pieces of light spring-wire, preferably, and have end rings 8, formed thereon, for attachment to the skirt, and an offset loop 8, for attachment of a positioning cord 8", see Figures 3-6. Said distending-members function more perfectly when made of flexible material, and flexibly attaching to the skirt, allows of more compactly folding up, and, attaching the guys to the middle thereof, in-

- sures proper positio'nin when spreading.

40 I attach one of said aps 5, centrally over each'cut 2, and stitch the same to the outside of cover 1, by parallel rows of stitches. This allows the bottom thereof to flare outwardly and form the air-scoop, and the wire disteinder ensures the proper flare to the lower e ge.

I next attach the positioning-cords 8" to the respective loops 8', and lead said cords downwardly, outside the bottom of skirt 1, and attach the lower ends thereof to its respective gu 11; preferably by sewing the two strong y together to form a smooth union, to avoid liability to entanglement.

The length of said cords is such that they will position the bottoms of flaps 5 favor-bottom if the strip below the same, shown in ably or outwardly toengage thfe' air in the downward movement, see-Figure 6.

It will be noted that the top of each flap 5 is joined to 1, above the top side of cut 2, 00 and thus form the top of the ocket, so that when air enters under said up, it will be guided through opening 2, into the interior of the skirt. 1'.

.To arrest backward leakage through openings 2- when the parachute is fully spread, I provide each of said openings with a check-valve or flap 10, preferably of the skirt material, and stitch the same, to the inside of cover 1, centrally one over each opening 2, by lines of stitches on the sides and bottom only, leaving the top thereof open for the passage inwardly of the filling air-current.

l/Vhen the parachute is fully spread, the. pressure inside pushes the flap 10 outwardly 76 and prevents back leakage.

The top of each flap 2 is now sewed to the middle of its respective check-flap 10, to keep said flaps integral against displacement, by line of stitches 12, see Figure 5.

The preliminaries to prepare thedevice to act, are merely to use care in folding the parachute, so that the positioning-cords and pocket are disposed so as not to entangle on launching; the device being entirely auto.- matic in action.

It will be readily understood, by those skilled in the art, that mymovable airscoops might be made from the material of the skirt proper, by simply shaping the edges of the sections, running from the bottom of the skirt to the apex thereof, with sufiicient fullness to allow for the flaring portion 5, approximately as shown in Figure 8, which, when sewed together, would appear similar to Figure 9, and function the same, if

fitted with my stiffening-wire and positioning-cord or suspensory-guy, as an'attached pocket. It will also be noted, that when the parachute is spreading and is still under longitudinal stress, that there are portions, i. e. either spreading-pockets, or sectors or segments of thesame, that are automatically and positively positioned at greater distance from the vertical axis of the parachute than the portion of the skirt-base under stress of the supporting-guy; and that said pockets,

I or segments, by their advantageous position,

will more surely and quickly transfer inwardly the air engaged thereby, and thus progressively build! up and retainthe internal inflation of the skirt, until such time that the skirt will be far enough extended to-overcome the aforesaid stress and permit the air to complete filling the same, in the ordinary way.

Said pockets will fill better and likewise tended to the edge of the skirt, and said connecting-bands or strips be disposed high- 1 er up, or a plurality of said strips, spaced,

vertically apart, may be used in place of said single stripat bottom. Having thus described the construction more surely preserve the shape of the covercurrent; and a checkis, viz:

' IDOVBH.

and operation of my invention, what claim as new and wish to secure by Letters Patent,

ing a plurality of spreading-pockets or airscoops, attached to the outside of the skirtofa parachute; a complementary number of openings or apertures under said air-scoops through which the air passes from the outside thereof to the inside to. primarily spread the same; a distendin -member of semi-circular outline for eac of said air-scoops; and a positioning-cord or member co-operating to position and hold each of said members in position, after launching.

2. A parachute spreading-device com rising a plurality of spreading-pockets or aps, attached to the outside of the skirt of a parachute; a complementary number of openings or apertures through which the air passes from the outside thereof to the inside to primarily spread the same; a hinged,-

offset, distending-member attached to'each of said air-scoops; a positioning cord or member co-operating to hold each of said air-scoops against dlsfplacement by the airap over each aperture aifixed to the inside of the skirt and covering the same against -outward leakage.

3. A parachute spreading-devicecompria ing an automatically outwardly-moveable air-scoop or pocket-fla attached to the out side of a parachute s irt;. a free aperture or opening from the outside of said skirt to the inside thereof under saidflap; a checkflap or cover over said aperture on the in-' side of said skirt, and allowing of the passage of air-current inwardly only; and means to automatically position and hold the bottom of said air-scoop.

4. 'A parachute spreading-device comprising a plurality of automaticall outwardlyle air-scoo s or pocketaps attached to the outside 0 a parachute skirt; free openings from the outside of said skirt to the inside thereof and located under each "of said pockets; a check-valve or flap over each of said openings aflixed to the inside of said skirt by lines of stitches atthe sides and bottoms only and leaving the tops open for air-passages; and means to automatically position and outwardly hold said air-scoops on launching.

5. vA flexible fold of fabric attached to the cover or skirt of a parachute on the outside thereof by lines of stitching s0 disposed that the bottom of said fold is open, and may be pulled or forced outwardly to engage the air on its downward movement after launching and form an air-scoop or air-guide; a free opening or air-passage through said skirt allowing passage of air therethroughat certain times, and located beneath said airscoop at the top thereof; a moveable circular stiffening or distending-member so parachute spreading-device compris attached to the bottom of said airscoop that in the several cover-strips both above and below said slots, and limiting the size of the cover-circumferencea flap or fold of fabric stitched over each 0 said slots by stitches at the sides and top only, and forming a continuation of' said cover or supporting-suri face; an offset or curved flexible stiffeningmember attached to the bottom of each of said superposed flaps, and having an eye or ring at each end thereof flexibly attached to the adjoining vertical cover-str1p,and so as to allow said members to be folded up, or swung outwardly and form air-scoops, at certain times; a series of supportinguys attached individually to the middle 0 the in.-

dividual offset, stiffening-members; a series of suspensory-guys attached, one to each lower side-end ofthe correlated narro cover-strips.

7 The combination with a Parachutesupporting surface, of a plurality of air-scoops attached to the outside of the supportingsurface at'spaced-apart intervals, each scoop having, at the lower edge thereof, a flexible, offset, lower edge-shaping member so attached that the scoop may be folded flat in the pack, or extended outwardly at certaintimes; individual suspensory or positioning guys attached to the lower edges of the several scoops; a plurality of suspensory-guys attached to the supporting-surface between said scoops; and a cut, or a erture, through the supporting-surface, un er each of. said scoops.

8. In a parachute, a supporting-surface or cover com rising a plurality of individual verticallyoined sections, having formed therein individual vertical slots or apertures located at uniform distances apart and separated by vertical sections ofsaid cover and.

leaving a joined strip of said cover around the lower end thereof'and connecting said vertical strips and each opening extending vertically toward the apex of the parachute;

individual flaps or folds of fabric stitched to the cover over the respective slots by lines of stitches at side-edges and top only and havin an extra fullness at the bottoms of said olds so'that said bottoms may stand outwardly and form pockets or air-scoops when s readin a curved or offset stiffening an disten ing-member attached to the bottoms of the individual folds and having end-rings or eyes flexibly attached to the cover-strip at each side of said fold and allowing said bottom to fold upwardly or stand outwardly; an eye or offset formed in the mid-length of each stiffening-member; a suspensory-guy attached to each of said eyes; a suspensory-guy attached to the bottom of the individual vertical cover-strips at each side-end thereof, the guys attached to the 10 cover proper and form the air-scoops aforesaid when spreading.

-HERBERTE. HAWES. 

